DO: Keep sentences brief, and group individual thoughts into no more than two or three short (5-7 word) sentences. Allow physical space both before and after your paragraphs. This gives your narrator an indication of natural pauses and is helpful in judging the number and length of required visuals.
DON'T: Write in a too "cute" or overly pedantic manner. In most cases, your production will be shown to people of different backgrounds and tastes. Either extreme could be annoying.
DO: Maintain your theme throughout the production without overusing it. Try emphasis by graphic visuals instead. The same words said over and over are mind-numbing. Be judicial.
DON'T: Use thoughts not readily subject to illustration. For instance, instead of saying a company is the "best in the world," show this fact, by drawing comparisons readily documented by charts or graphs.
DO: Let your script breathe. Constant narration isn't necessary, or even desirable. While reading print, your brain provides the breaks necessary for absorption of an idea. You must provide these for your viewers. Let music and visuals emphasize and/or talk for you in various areas. This also gives your producers options for their editing magic to provide a pleasing whole.
DON'T: Overwrite. Provide so many verbal examples that your idea or function gets lost in the mix. One or two "touching," if that's appropriate, or factual cases will make your point. This is especially true if your script contains "skits" with actors or animated characters.
DO: Adequately judge your length in terms of the finished production. In general, one page of script is equal to one minute of video or film. However, five pages of script only equal 30 seconds of an interactive presentation. (More about this in future articles.) Read your script out loud - slowly - allowing time for transitions, music sequences and narrative pauses. This also is a good method for finding awkward constructions, tongue-twisting phrases, and abrupt jumps between one subject and the next.
DON'T: See your words as "sacred." If possible, let someone you trust read and advise before presenting your finished product. Make changes accordingly. Your client or boss won't hesitate to criticize or strike this word or that. Don't take it personally. In scripting for video and the new technology, beauty - truly - is in the eye of the beholder.
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